Trail Blazers Picked Yang Hansen with Only a D Grade! American Media Analyzes His Challenge and Role: Worth Reevaluation in Two Years

On February 3rd Beijing time, Portland media Blazer's Edge evaluated the Trail Blazers' 2025 draft results, assigning only a D rating. In this draft, the Blazers exchanged the signing rights of Coward, chosen at 11th, for the Grizzlies' 16th pick, a first-round pick, and two second-round picks, then used the 16th pick to select Yang Hansen. Below is the related article from Blazer's Edge—

When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver took the stage to announce the 16th pick as Yang Hansen, the entire league erupted in surprise. Yang Hansen? Who is he? What just happened? The reactions were stunned across the board, with media pointing out that Yang was previously projected only as a second-round pick.

What was Cronin thinking when making this choice? Shortly after,an NBA scout tweeted, dubbing Yang Hansen the "Chinese Jokic."Watching his highlights from the CBA, you can indeed see his delicate footwork and excellent passing skills, while also noticing that his height advantage is quite pronounced in the CBA, which is far below NBA level. If selecting Shedon Sharp was a “blind box gamble,” then picking Yang Hansen feels like trying to solve the mystery of the pyramid’s construction—full of unknowns.

At the post-draft press conference, Cronin confidently detailed the team's two-year scouting process on Yang Hansen. Clearly, this was not a rash decision; the management did thorough homework aiming to surprise at the draft. Regardless of the final outcome, their confidence in Yang’s talent is commendable. When a team already has a solid roster, choosing a high-potential rookie mid-first round as a “lottery ticket” is a reasonable move. Yang also shined in the Summer League with multiple precise passes, blocks, flashy spin moves, directional dribbles, and decent three-point shooting, catching many eyes. Social media buzzed, hailing the Blazers’ pick as a “steal.”

Fast forward to now, the real test has arrived.Yang Hansen still has a long way to go to keep up with the NBA pace. Currently, he is a defensive liability for the team, and referees treat him strictly as a rookie center with tight foul calls.At this stage, the team gives him limited minutes to help his steady development without overwhelming him. As Klingen increasingly shows potential as the team's core center,the Blazers’ plan for Yang Hansen is clear: develop him into a reliable rotational big man who can consistently contribute 18-20 minutes per game. Whether he can reach this goal remains uncertain.

It is impossible to fairly judge this draft choice within the next two years. However, the management’s gamble with a first-round pick has drawn considerable skepticism, especially if players like Coward or Quinn develop into NBA stars, intensifying the criticism.

Speaking of Quinn, Blazers fans can’t help but wonder: after the Blazers’ pick, the Pelicans and Hawks made a trade involving the next two picks. Did the Pelicans also approach Cronin with this deal? The trade saw the Hawks exchange their 13th pick for the Pelicans’ 23rd pick plus the Pelicans’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick. The Hawks then selected Asa Newell, a freshman from Georgia University who had previously been invited for a Blazers tryout. The Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick is expected to be no lower than 5th overall in next June’s draft. The 2026 draft is also considered a "deep draft class," with many potential superstars. To acquire Quinn, the Pelicans were willing to give up a likely high pick, showing their strong belief in his talent.

Pelicans’ President Joe Dumars said in an interview that the Blazers were among the teams they negotiated with at the time. “After selecting Jeremy Fears at 7th, we started talks with teams from the 9th pick onward until the deal was finalized… When you believe a player ‘can be a cornerstone for the team,’ you have to act decisively to secure him, and that’s exactly what we did.”

If the Blazers had managed to acquire the Pelicans’ unprotected 2026 first-round pick when holding the 11th pick—a pick likely to be high in the stacked 2026 draft—it would have sparked even greater controversy.

Objectively, Yang Hansen’s current performance does not allow for an accurate rating and deserves reevaluation in two years. But considering the early development of Coward and Quinn, plus the valuable 2026 unprotected first-round pick that the Blazers’ drafted team eventually secured, Cronin’s current draft results are underwhelming, warranting a temporary grade of D.